THE CHURCH OF ST. ANDREW, PLYMOUTH. 205 
THE CHURCH OF ST. ANDREW, PLYMOUTH. 
BY J. BROOKING ROWE, F.L.S., 
Member of the Royal Archeological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 
(Read December 3rd, 1874.) 
In endeavouring to compile a history of the old parish Church of 
Plymouth, I am, until a comparatively recent period, groping very 
much in the dark. It is somewhat remarkable that in a town of 
so much importance as Plymouth the records should be so few; 
and it is quite as remarkable that the Church, occupying as it did 
a position of such prominence, not only in relation to the town 
and the Priory of Plympton, but to the whole diocese, should have 
so few records that throw a ight upon its early grandeur. Such is, 
however, the case. The merest reference here and there in a State 
paper, a passing allusion in the pages of a chronicler, a few entries 
in the account-books of the town, are the only sources of information 
until we are well on in the seventeenth century. 
And yet perhaps, on consideration, this is not so strange when 
we recollect to what the town has from time to time been exposed. 
Frequent incursions ly the foreigner, domestic strife, royal robbery, 
and puritanical violence, have all had their part in interfering with, 
injuring, and destroying the records of the past. Added to this 
the carelessness of the custodian, and his ignorance, have done their 
worst here as elsewhere. 
Until late in the last century I imagine that Plymouth must 
have possessed a large quantity of ancient documents; but when 
the preparations for the erection of the building, now the old 
Guildhall were being male, no care whatever was taken of the 
papers in charge of the then corporation ; they were scattered about 
in all directions, numbers were thrown into the street, played with 
and destroyed by children, and the greater part were hopelessly 
lost. 
